Frédéric Chopin (Polish: Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, sometimes Szopen; French: Frédéric François Chopin March 1 1810, Zelazowa Wola (birth time source: Astrodatabank, the source is unverified, some authors give February 22) – October 17, 1849, Paris) was a Polish piano composer of the Romantic period. He is widely regarded as one of the most famous, influential, prolific and perhaps more importantly, moving composers for piano of all time.
Chopin was born in the village of Żelazowa Wola, Poland, to a Polish mother and French-expatriate father. Hailed in his homeland as a child prodigy, at age twenty Chopin left for Paris. There he made a career as performer, teacher and composer, and adopted the French version of his given names, "Frédéric-François." From 1837 to 1847 he had a turb...